Growing up, my family spent many a summer in Forte dei Marmi, an adorable beach town in Tuscany (we’re Italian). My favorite part of each afternoon was when I was allowed to go to the restaurant of our beach club and order myself a granita which is essentially a fancy snow cone. I’d change it up day to day between fragola (strawberry), limone (lemon), and mentha (mint).
I still dream of those granitas and was so excited when my dad’s wife made a version of them a few weeks ago at a BBQ. I hosted a summer dinner party last weekend and made these watermelon granitas which were the perfect palate cleanser after a heavy meal of burgers and hot dogs.
It wasn’t quite the same as being on the beach in Italy but hey, it was pretty close!
Side note: I had a brain wave after we ate them that these would also be amazing spiked with a little vodka or gin. If you try that, let me know how it goes! Recipe below.
Servings: 6
(Note, you need 2 hours for this to be made correctly so plan ahead!)
Ingredients:
– 4 cups of cubed watermelon
– 1/4 cup organic cane sugar
– 2 tblspns fresh lime juice
Directions:
– Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth
– Pour into a large baking pan (mine was 9x9x2)
– Place pan with purée in freezer for one hour (set an alarm)
– Stir/mash up with a fork to get rid of frozen layer on top
– Cover and freeze again for 30 minutes (set an alarm)
– Stir/mash one last time
– Cover and freeze for 30 more minutes (set an alarm)
– Spoon out into bowls and garnish with lime or mint
– Enjoy!
Delicious, when I was younger I spent many summer in Focette, between Viareggio and Forte dei Marmi, I love Versilia
Paola
http://www.lechicchedipaola.it/
YUM
Does it keep in the freezer or do you have to eat it at the 2 hour mark?
I was curious about the same thing
Looks delicious! I will have to try it!
xoxo,
Allie
allaboutaph.blogspot.com
This looks so good. I probably couldn’t stop eating it though!
Alyssa | Glitter and Grey
I LOVE watermelon, so I’ll definitely be trying this. Spiked, natch 😉
http://www.comfortablycasey.com
Looks delicious !
http://bujaren.com
love the recipe! looks so darn good !
watermelons for life!
http://webofbutterflies.blogspot.com/